HP Lovecraft

[Zzzptm]

I got into his works because of the cool illustrations in the AD&D Gods, Demigods, and Heroes manual as well as seeing a copy of the October 1979 issue of Heavy Metal, which was a tribute to HPL. Been a big fan of his work ever since. To me, "At the Mountains of Madness" is the most immersive and power-packed of his works, but "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath" has always been able to haunt my imagination and even dreams...

[Vyn]

I have a love-hate relationship with Lovecraft's work. I agree that At the Mountains of Madness is definitive. I also enjoyed The Dreams in the Witch-House.

There are a few others that are worthwhile.

But once I hit my recommended daily allowance of the word "cyclopean" I have to shut H.P. down.

[Zzzptm]

But once I hit my recommended daily allowance of the word "cyclopean" I have to shut H.P. down.

Lol, yes... One thing I learned right away when I started writing seriously was that all those adjectives don't fly no more. A modern style means lots more dialogue than what HPL employed and the ability to show through actions/dialogue rather than tell via lengthy descriptions of Dickensian proportions.

As an editor, HPL had some excellent advice. His essay on writing horror fiction ought to be required reading for all creative writers out there in the world.

[Thelemech]

Lovecraft is my second favorite writer, after Aleister Crowley.

I have most of his works and at one time I had his collected letters in a four or five volume set.

Other favorite is Edgar Allan Poe - who was so very important to Lovecraft and heavily influenced his early works.

[Zzzptm]

Lovecraft is my second favorite writer, after Aleister Crowley.

I have most of his works and at one time I had his collected letters in a four or five volume set.

Other favorite is Edgar Allan Poe - who was so very important to Lovecraft and heavily influenced his early works.

Question: have you followed up with reading anything by Arthur Machen? That guy was a huge contemporary influence on HPL. I've read "The White People", "Great God Pan" and "The Three Impostors", all cracking good reads.

[Thelemech]

Lovecraft is my second favorite writer, after Aleister Crowley.

I have most of his works and at one time I had his collected letters in a four or five volume set.

Other favorite is Edgar Allan Poe - who was so very important to Lovecraft and heavily influenced his early works.

Question: have you followed up with reading anything by Arthur Machen? That guy was a huge contemporary influence on HPL. I've read "The White People", "Great God Pan" and "The Three Impostors", all cracking good reads.

I had a few Arthur Machen short story collections when I was a young man, but for some reason I never got around to reading them.
How about Clark Ashton Smith or the original creator of Conan - Robert E Howard, have you read anything by them??

[Zzzptm]

Yes and yes and they're well worth seeking out. CAS has a more swashbuckling style to his Hyperborea stories, but his Zothique cycle is chillingly nihilistic. Howard can do horror like the best of 'em.

Good news is that LOTS of this stuff is now public domain and is available via Project Gutenberg. If you want to get into Machen, I recommend starting with Great God Pan. It will blow your mind apart.

[Charger]

Haven't read much of Lovecraft's work but what I have I have enjoyed and the world he has created is fantastic.

I have played this board game called Arkham Horror which is based on Lovecraft's work...great stuff.

What I find truly strange is why hasn't Hollywood tapped this endless well of stories yet....man they'd make awesome movies...and with modern technology the monsters would be amazing!

[Zzzptm]

Haven't read much of Lovecraft's work but what I have I have enjoyed and the world he has created is fantastic.

I have played this board game called Arkham Horror which is based on Lovecraft's work...great stuff.

What I find truly strange is why hasn't Hollywood tapped this endless well of stories yet....man they'd make awesome movies...and with modern technology the monsters would be amazing!

There have been attempts to make films based on HPL's work, but they tend to go Z-rated pretty quickly. Much of what goes wrong is in the actual showing of what was left to readers' imaginations. Seeing it, we can wrap our heads around it and get accustomed to it. Without seeing it, we can keep our true terror intact.

[Charger]

There have been attempts to make films based on HPL's work, but they tend to go Z-rated pretty quickly. Much of what goes wrong is in the actual showing of what was left to readers' imaginations. Seeing it, we can wrap our heads around it and get accustomed to it. Without seeing it, we can keep our true terror intact.

That's actually a great way of putting it...quite true indeed. But the same could have been said about The Lord Of The Rings and they made it work...atleast for the most part.

[Zzzptm]

Some of the epic nature of his works would be better managed via a limited-run series as opposed to a single 90-180 minute film. Even so, I would want the majority of work to be done via seeing reactions on actors' faces as opposed to seeing what they see.

If it was done like "Over the Garden Wall", I think it would work.

[Vyn]

When you read Lovecraft then immediately take some acid:

[Zzzptm]

When you read Lovecraft then immediately take some acid:

Don't try this at home, kids!

[Vyn]

Don't try this at home, kids!

Or anywhere! He may look small and cute, but he's an Old, Mean, soul-devouring machine.

[Thelemech]

When you read Lovecraft then immediately take some acid:

  that is fantastic - a spawn of the Ancient Old Ones